SMOKING IS A LEADING CAUSE OF PREMATURE DEATH AND DISEASE. FOR THAT REASON, SOME WELL-KNOWN COMPANIES LIKE CVS HAVE STOPPED SELLING TOBACCO PRODUCTS. EFFORTS TO CURB SMOKING IS ALSO UNDERWAY IN THE NAVY. ASHLEY MITCHUM TELLS US THE LATEST STEPS MAY ELIMINATE TOBACCO SALES ON ALL NAVY BASES AND SHIPS. IN 2012, ONE-THIRD OF ALL SAILORS USED SOME FORM OF TOBACCO. THE NAVY IS TRYING TO REDUCE THE NUMBER. THEY STARTED ELIMINATING TOBACCO SALES IN COMMISSARIES. AND THEN THEY ELIMINATED THEIR DISCOUNT ON TOBACCO PRODUCTS. NOW OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING REMOVING TOBACCO FROM ALL STORES ON BASE AS WELL AS ON SHIP. BUT SOME SMOKERS IN THE NAVY ARE HOPING THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN. SINCE BEING DEPLOYED TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND BEING A SMOKER, I DISAGREE WITH REMOVING THEM OFF SHIPS. THE DECISION WOULD BE MADE AT THE SERVICE'S HIGHEST LEVELS. A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY SENT US THIS STATEMENT. MAXIMIZING THE READINESS OF OUR SAILORS AND MARINES HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR SECRETARY MAVIS SINCE HE TOOK OFFICE. THE SECRETARY HAS IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE CULTURE OF FITNESS IN THE NAVY AND THE MARINE CORPS AND CURBING TOBACCO USE IS A PART OF THAT IMPROVEMENT. WE'VE ENDED PRICE SUBSIDIES FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND SECRETARY MAVIS ASKED THE STAFF TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL WAYS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND READINESS OF OUR FORCE. WE'RE ALREADY IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THIS PROCESS. SO THEY HAVEN'T MADE A DECISION YET ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL BAN TOBACCO PRODUCTS ON BASE AND ON SHIPS. IF THEY DO DECIDE TO PASS THE BAN, WE'RE NOT SURE IF IT'LL AFFECT THE OTHER BRANCHES OF MILITARY OR NOT. FROM MAYPORT, ASHLEY MITCHUM. THE NAVY'S EFFORTS TO HELP PEOPLE QUIT SMOKING INCLUDES PROVIDING NICOTINE FREE

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